Shane tilted his head slightly and said with a grin:
“Yes, it seems impossible to wake you up, no matter what I do.”
“...Oh, what were you doing?” - Adalyn narrowed her eyes.
“You love creamy potato soup, don’t you? Let's eat before it gets cold." - Shane deftly changed the subject and carefully placed the spoon in front of her.
[Yes, he didn’t do anything... Surely.] - she thought.
[Even though she slept in his arms every night, nothing strange ever happened. Even without sleeping pills, she would have woken up if anything even slightly “wrong” had happened.]
Adaline looked at him with slight suspicion. Then Shane, as if guessing her thoughts, suggested:
“Do you want me to feed you?”
“No need, I can handle it myself. You eat too."
"It's a pity." - he said with feigned disappointment.
But in his eyes there is only a warm, light smile. He just watched without touching the food, as if he was waiting for her to start.
Adaline obediently took the spoon.
The warm potato soup was as smooth and flavorful as it smelled. With the very first sip, warmth spread throughout the body, and lightness inside, as if the soul had returned to its place.
“Mmm...how delicious...”
"You're in a great mood today." - Shane noted.
“It’s like I was born again today, Shane.”
"Is it true? Maybe this will be your second birthday then?”
“You know, it almost feels that way.”
Adaline took a golden bun, cut it and spread it with butter. Feeling Shane's gaze, she looked up; he still hadn't eaten and was just watching her.
[Maybe because today the world seems especially beautiful, it looks somehow... unrealistically beautiful?]
She squinted as if looking at the morning sun. It seemed that my vision was about to “fall” by a couple of tenths, it was so bright.
[Why do even the veins on his arms look beautiful?]
[Long fingers with noticeable joints, a little rough, but masculine. His refined features, as if from a city of the future, contrasted sharply with his calloused, overworked hands. Is this even normal?]
Adaline took a bite of her bun as she continued to look at Shane.
His sapphire blue eyes sparkled under his long eyelashes. Straight, expressive nose, deep gaze, sharp lines of the face and at the same time... such softness. All this added up to an image from which it was impossible to look away.
Shane's beauty was not limited to his appearance, there was something...inexplicable about him. A quiet force that attracts you.
It's not hard to see why people admired him.
[He was an angel even as a child...no wonder.]
[If he suddenly smiled on purpose, with those eyes...no one would be able to resist.]
Adaline broke off half of her buttered bun and handed it to him.
“Stop looking. Eat too."
"I've already eaten."
“I can’t handle all this alone. And anyway, what time did you wake up if you had already eaten?”
[You even put a compress on my eyes...]
“I got up early, had breakfast, worked out.” - Shane replied casually. “We need to somehow lose energy before lying down next to you.”
"..."
“But if you insist, I’ll eat it.” - he said and without hesitation took a piece of bread from her hand. And - directly with your mouth.
Adaline reflexively pulled her hand back, but Shane held her wrist.
He swallowed the bread in one bite and lazily ran his tongue over his lips.
“Eat slowly, Adaline.”
"..."
“When you're done, we'll go to the palace. But if you’re tired, we can stay and rest.”
“I can stay at home alone...”
[You're crazy...Who even eats bread like that?! I already thought that he would bite my fingers off...]
Adaline pressed the back of her hand to her face, hiding her burning cheeks.
“No, I’ll go too. I want to see Genevieve. She must have been scared when I suddenly burst into tears. We need to calm her down."
“What about me?”
Shane pouted like a child.
"What?"
“I was scared too. Won't you console me?
“...Oh, how can I console you?” - She almost stumbled on the word.
Shane leaned on his arm, his voice became lower, almost plaintive:
“You sure are in a good mood, Adaline.”
"Yes..."
“I'd like to know why. But I don't want to spoil it."
"..."
"Touch me."
"What? W-w-w-where?”
“...I mean, pat me on the head.”
"..."
“What did you think about?”
"It's the head." - she muttered, lowering her spoon.
Shane spread his arms wide and smiled. [This big, grown man with that expectant, almost puppy-like look in his eyes looked... damn cute. Or has she already gone completely crazy?]
Adaline stood up and hugged him, pressing his head to her chest.
Shane opened his eyes in surprise, and then closed them with a chuckle.
[How easy it turned out to be to console him.]
Adaline slowly stroked his thick hair, feeling a strange, warm feeling bloom inside her.